She gulped audibly as she brushed her nightgown over my hips and stomach, and then reached under to run her hands over my pants. The way her hands trembled said she was very nervous, but her eyes gleamed with curiosity and wonder. Instead of voicing anything or exploring what her body had to offer, I just lay there, letting Neepa enjoy this new experience at her own pace.
Neither of us could see anything with her gown in the way and the poor light, but we didn’t need to. I felt Neepa gently prodding my hardened manhood, her nimble fingers unfastened my belt and pants with ease, freeing me. A soft gasp escaped her lips as she ran a single finger along my entire exposed length, causing an involuntary twitch on my part once she reached the tip.
With nary a murmur, Neepa slid herself forward and raised her hips. Using one hand to guide herself, she slowly pressed me to her lips. I could feel her wetness sliding down my shaft as our flesh brushed against each other, but then she froze. Being that close to her womanhood was like being next to a furnace, and it was painfully cruel, too. But with how her chest heaved, I knew she was mentally preparing herself.
After a few heartbeats, she slowly lowered her hips, taking in my length at a rate of one centimeter every few seconds.
If it weren’t for her burning cheeks and near-tearful eyes, I would’ve thought she was purposely torturing me by drawing this out.
Her warm flesh enveloped me from every direction and I wanted nothing more than to go deeper. But, again, Neepa froze when I was about halfway in. She breathed laboriously and kept herself upright with her hands to my stomach.
Just when it looked like Neepa lost her nerve, she slammed her hips down into mine, taking me all the way to the hilt. She let out a loud, unbroken moan and dug her fingers into my chest.
“Neepa,” I gasped. “You’ll wake Eva.” My head swam in blurring pleasure, a miracle I could even bother recalling Eva. The moan Neepa made was just shy of a scream.
She arched her back and stared at the ceiling, exposing her slender neck and accentuating her bust. After a moment, she looked down at me with hearts in her eyes.
“Don’t worry,” she said huskily. “I got an entire bottle of wine in her. She’s not waking up.”
She planned this? This woman is far from innocent. Then again, she has lived in the woods for most of her life. Repression can lead to some interesting turns.
Her movements were slow and awkward, yet extremely erotic. The sensation of her soft walls made me groan. When she pulled away, her flesh pulled my cock with her, then relaxed for a brief moment when she came down again, so I could sink as deep as possible, then the process would repeat.
The erotic sounds of Neepa’s womanhood consuming me revealed how hopelessly turned on she was, how bad she wanted it. Neepa was so in tune with her body, exploring slight angle changes and not at all ashamed of the naughty face she was making.
“Better than… before,” Neepa moaned while experimenting by gyrating her hips, a motion she seemed to enjoy with how her muscles massaged my shaft.
I grabbed her plump hips and pulled her down aggressively, causing her to yelp as I reached a new deep.
“Yes,” I agreed. Then I began pump skywards into her slit, which clamped around me eagerly.
Strength left her arms and she fell into my chest, mashing those soft mounds into me, mewing as I moved in and out of her. Half lidded eyes searched mine before brought her mouth to mine, kissing hungrily.
The wine she drank earlier with Eva was still present on her tongue, making Neepa taste sweet. Her taste, her softness, and her aroma, all overtook my senses. I found myself drawing near, so I increased my speed once more, forcing Neepa to break our kiss and bury her head in my neck as she panted choppy breaths in time with my thrusts.
Her hot, honeyed walls convulsed around me as I hit my peak, bringing forth my release. I grabbed onto Neepa’s supple ass for dear life while my cock continued to kick within her.
Well over a week had passed since the last time. My orgasm just kept going, feeling like I was releasing an impossible amount within her.
Once the blinding bliss passed, my hands traveled over the delicious curves of her ass, down the valley of the small of her back, then settled tightly around her back as I enjoyed resting within her, all while Neepa uttered low, broken moans, her walls not quite ready to part with me.
I continued to hold Neepa close in the afterglow of our mutual climax. The woman really did so much for me. Medicine crafted with love and care nurtured my damaged body. And her tender affection helped quell the turmoil threatening to tear me down mentally.
My fingers found themselves combing through Neepa’s long, midnight hair as I brought her closer. Neepa planted a soft kiss on my neck that sent goose bumps throughout my body.
“You’re not alone, Al,” she whispered tenderly. “I promise I’ll always be by your side, because if I’m always by your side, then you’ll be by mine. Things don’t seem so hard when you’re close. If you promise to take care of me, then I promise to take care of you. It’ll be okay.”
I couldn’t even begin to imagine myself here without Neepa’s helping hand. “I promise.”
Neepa let out a satisfied sigh and nuzzled her head under my chin. Being this close to her told me she was in high spirits; I, however, didn’t feel quite the same. As I promised to take care of her, a sinking feeling arose in my stomach, bringing back the familiar pit. Caroline flashed across my mind before a blanket of blackness come over me as my eyes grew heavier and heavier.
Neepa intertwined her fingers in mine. “It’ll be okay,” she whispered dreamily, seeming to sense my unease. I squeezed her hand, and continued to do so till I slipped away.
Chapter 13
For the first time in a long time, I awoke slowly and calmly. No panic, no racing heart, and no sweat soiled sheets. No nightmare. There was only the warm, comforting embrace of soft blankets and the gentle light of dawn spilling into the room through the windows.
Neepa had her head resting on my chest with her arm draped over my stomach. Her serene, slumbering expression was truly a work of art. My arm found itself around her back and my cheek nuzzled against her head. Sleep was tugging on my lids, beckoning me to continue resting.
Reality and dreams mixed and I lost myself.
Floating in that ambiguous area between the two planes, there was a noise.
The sound made my mind recall the time when Dad and I had to fell a tree that looked primed to fall. The memory became crystal clear as the image of my brawny father formed with an axe swung over his shoulder while I had one in hand, too. His muscles swelled under his white tank top and did the first chop at an angle to the trunk while I did a follow up chop perpendicular to the trunk. Woodchips flew and we worked in an almost meditative rhythm.
Thump, thump, thump, thump, thump, did the sounds go. The last thump came sharp and clear, stirring me from my half-asleep state. Confusion muddled my senses, not quite sure if I was up or not.
As I was trying to find my bearings, the door opened.
“Pardon me, Sir Al, I took the liber––” Koko started as she walked into the room with her head bowed, only to stop abruptly as soon as she saw Neepa and I.
Her mouth hung ajar as whatever words she had planned came out as a croak.
My head jerked back and forth between her and Neepa a few times before I swung my feet over the bed and stood. I had my hands up in a defensive gesture and was about to salvage the situation when I realized how drafty it was.
Koko’s eyes became as big as dinner plates and her face grew beet-red. Her tail and wings jutted from her body rigidly as her eyes panned south.
In my panic, I forgot I was buck naked.
Words came out of Koko’s mouth in shuddering gasps. I snatched up my strewn clothes from the floor and hastily covered my shame.
It was then when I heard Neepa stirring behind me. I glanced over my shoulder to see her sitting up and rubbing the sleep from her eyes. She let out a little yawn, comple
tely oblivious. However, as soon as her brain woke up, Neepa blanched. Her gaze went from me, to Koko, back to me, and then down to her bare breasts. She let out a small squeak and dove under the covers like a startled rabbit running into the brush.
To spare the poor woman any more embarrassment, I kept myself covered with my bundle of clothes in one hand and moved the petrified dragon-woman with the other out of the room. Upon entering the living room, I was greeted with a man and a woman dressed in livery handling a dinner cart. Forks and spoons forze in thier hands as they stared at me and Koko in stunned silence.
I scuttled along the wall until my hand found the doorknob to the bathroom, which I promptly ripped open and slammed shut behind me.
I leaned against the door and held my face.
“Are you fucking kidding me?” I whispered to myself.
Pushing that experience to the back of my mind, I began to dress. In my haste, I only managed to grab my cloak, one boot, and my paints. At least Little Al would be warm.
Once I had my naughty bits covered, I gave the bathroom a quick look.
Just like the rest of the place, it was outrageously lavish. The large porcelain tub took up most of the room and looked like it could fit three people. The toilet looked a lot like what I’d have back at home, but, like Neepa and Eva’s home, there was a high tank. One thing this room had that their home lacked was a proper sink. Sort of. It was just a large, ornately carved bowl with a drain and plug that sat atop a short cabinet. The only facet in the room was by the tub. I suppose it didn’t make much sense to the architects to have multiple facets when you only needed one to dispense water.
Above the sink was a mirror, the first one I’ve seen, actually. The slight golden hue in the reflection told me it was polished bronze. It’s been such a long time since I’ve had a good look at myself. I was definitely in need of a shave. The hair I usually kept in a slicked back crew had fallen around my face in loose, messy strands.
I’ve gotten a little leaner, too. I’ve maintained my bulk since I quit fighting, but had developed a little flab around my gut since starting college. I always ate a lot, but labor with my dad and boxing helped burn off everything. If it ever became a problem, I’d just invest a little extra time training. Competing or not, boxing is a damn good way to stay in shape.
The euphoria of losing a little weight faded instantly as soon as I saw the scars on my gut. One gnarled, vertical dent just next to my belly button, and four star-shaped scars just above it. And on my right shoulder were the two wide, crescent-shaped scars; memories forever etched into my body from the horrors that nearly took me.
I gave the rugged figure in the reflection a good, long, hard look, then let out an even breath.
You look like hammered shit.
Heart’s still beating, though.
I tore myself from the vanity fixture and left the bathroom with my cloak and boot in hand. The two servants, who were placing food and drink on the short table, shot me a glance. Koko was standing just behind them with her hands clasped in front of her tightly, her face still a deep scarlet, which grew deeper as her gaze met mine.
She coughed into her hand and said, “I-I tried knocking. Your guard didn’t respond, and I didn’t think that you would be––” She stopped and cleared her throat.
Not wanting to dwell on the elephant in the room, I asked, “Guard?”
Koko looked towards the couch. I walked up behind and looked over the backrest. Eva had slept spread-eagle in nothing but her white sleeping tunic, giving our guests a full view of her snow-white panties. Nestled in her chest was an empty bottle of wine, another not too far away on the table.
I threw my cloak over the indecent blond in an effort to maintain her pride. Eva snorted and wrapped herself up like a burrito as she continued her alcohol induced slumber.
Eager to get the day started on a proper note, I sat myself on the other couch and bid everyone a friendly nod.
“Good morning, Koko,” I said to the flustered dragon-woman.
The wings on her back and the tail from her rear-end relaxed. Moving past what happened, Koko closed her eyes and bowed her head politely.
“Good morning, Sir Al,” she said in her usual composed, neutral tone.
“Just Al, please.”
Her gaze lingered on mine for a moment and her lips bunched for a fraction of a second before she greeted me again. “Good morning, Al.” Koko took a few steps and stopped just at the foot of the table. “Were the accommodations to your liking?”
“Yeah. Just peachy.”
The door to my room opened and out stepped Neepa, head hung low and face hidden by her hair. She crept across the room like ghost and walked right into the other bedroom door. She squeaked, then slipped in, eager to have a wall shielding her from the unexpected company—shame, too, I imagined.
“I took the liberty of preparing breakfast for you and your company,” Koko said quickly. “If it’s not to your liking, then I can have something else prepared right away.”
The spread on the table consisted of a few plates of meat cut in this strips, fish, cheese, fruit, vegetables, and sliced bread loaves. There wasn’t enough time to eat last night. For obvious reasons. My stomach growled at the offerings.
“It looks good. And I’m not a very picky when it comes to food.”
“Tea or wine?” the female servant asked, holding a pot in one hand and a bottle of wine in the other.
It seemed way too early to be having alcohol. Then again, wine is supposed to be high in antioxidants and is good for the heart. The woman asked it very casually, so it must be standard custom. A little alcohol might also help me forget about what happened.
“Wine, please,” I answered.
She uncorked the bottle and carefully poured the crimson contents into a glass. She set the bottle on the table and held out the glass to me in a humble gesture. I gave her an appreciative smile as I accepted the glass, and downed a mouthful.
Neepa stepped out of the other bedroom clothed her usual midnight-blue dress, her hat pulled especially low to hide her face. She wordlessly slinked over to the couch and sat next to Eva’s slumbering form.
“Morning,” I said softly.
“G-good… morning,” she said, her voice in an almost indiscernible murmur.
Silence stretched in the room as neither the male or female server bothered asking Neepa is she would like a drink.
I took the bottle and asked, “Wine?”
She nodded once. I poured some into a glass, which she hastily snatched up and downed in a heartbeat, replacing her glass on the table with a quiet clink. Filling another glass, I left the bottle in her care.
Eva snorted then coughed. She slowly came to life, uncurling and sitting up, rubbing tired from her eyes with her knuckle. Blonde hair was matted to the side of her cheek where she drooled. She sniffed once and looked around the room lazily, seeming to not focus on anything in particular. However, like a gust of air on burning coal, her eyes lit up as soon as she saw me. It was an improvement from her twisted face of fury from yesterday, probably thanks to the talk she had with Neepa, but the contempt in her eyes was clear as day.
No sense in making yesterday’s troubled today’s. “Good morning, Eva,” I said.
She nabbed the bottle from Neepa mid pour and took a hearty swig for herself. She bundled my cloak tighter around her body and averted her gaze in an annoyed huff. There was a lot she wanted to say, I’m sure, but she held her tongue.
Koko cleared her throat to draw my attention. She started to call me sir before she corrected herself.
“Al, I have made arrangements to give you a formal tour of the academy once you’ve finished your meal. We’ll explore the common areas, the lecture halls, classrooms, training grounds, workshops, observatory, and library.” Neepa’s head peeked up at the mention of a library. “However, if you do not care for the tour, do know that Lord Emre, Lord Jal, as well as a dozen other professors, have offered you a spot by their side for
their teachings today. There are also several prominent other disciples who have offered––”
“Yeah, no.” I reached for some bread and a piece of meat and began to eat. The meat tasted odd, a little gamey. Not bad.
Koko’s neutral composure faded slightly and Neepa peaked at me with a look of surprise. Eva, of course, scowled at me as if I spat out an insult.
The dragon-woman’s tail that had been swaying absentmindedly went still. “Al, your time here over the next few days is yours to spend; however, I implore you to explore and witness what the academy can offer you.”
I swallowed my food and downed it with wine. “I’d rather not do any of that.”
“But––”
“Can I just talk to the Grand Mage?” Does that old bat even know my name? Does she remember yesterday? “Actually, Julika, too. Can you do that?”
Her tail continued swaying, her face resumed its blank state. “Yes. I will make arrangements now. Enjoy your breakfast.”
She and the two servants bowed, then quietly left us to our meal. I ran my fingers through my shaggy hair and sank into the couch, finally able to relax with just us three.
Neepa finished her third glass before she asked, “Are you really going to talk with the Grand Mage?”
“Might as well.” I reached for the cheese and gave it a cursory whiff. It smelled like regular cheese, and it tasted like it, too.
Eva watched me as I ate; her scowl gone, eyes still prying.
“I’m still pissed about yesterday,” I continued. “There’s nothing I want to do more than say shove it to that hag, but that wouldn’t be very fair, would it? She’s the only one who knows about this Resonant thing, so I figured I should only bother with her.” I looked at Eva. “If I’m here, I should at least take the business seriously. Even if I have my own reservations about how ridiculous it all sounds, I’ll hear her them out.”
Eva stared for a few beats longer, then looked down to the spread. She loaded up bread in similar fashion to me and chowed down. Neepa pulled off her hat and set it next to her, revealing a wide, approving smile.
Heart of the Resonant: Book 1: Pulse (Resonant Series) Page 20
